Rebecca Ann Akers
PLANO – Rebecca (Becky) Ann Akers went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 13, 2019 in Plano, Texas.
Born on December 3, 1961 in Kansas City, Missouri, she was the daughter of Gerald and Carol Messenbrink (Auer) of Pleasant Valley, Missouri. She is survived by her husband, David Akers, her daughter, Samantha Akers, of Plano, Texas; mother, Carol Messenbrink, brother, Douglas Messenbrink, of Pleasant Valley, Missouri; sister, Janet Messenbrink, of Kansas City, Missouri, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins in the Kansas City area. She was preceded in death by her father Gerald Messenbrink.
Becky graduated from Winnetonka High School in Kansas City in 1980. She was active in several organizations including the marching band. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 1985. While at Missouri S&T, she was an active member of Chi Omega sorority, serving as Personnel Chairman and as Vice President. She also earned a Master of Arts in Education from Arizona State University in 2001. She worked for many years in the steel industry serving as inside sales representative, metallurgist, quality control engineer, and primary metallurgist.
Upon her marriage to Dave in 1991, they initially made their home in Plano, Texas. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1992, and lived for a year in the British Colony of Hong Kong. In 1997, their daughter Samantha was born in St. Louis and shortly thereafter the family relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the whole family was baptized into the Anglican Church. In 1999, they moved to Phoenix, Arizona where they lived for eighteen years. During their time in Phoenix, Becky was active in the churches that they attended, most of the time with Christ Church Anglican in Phoenix.
During her life, Becky served as a mother, metallurgist, sales representative, high school teacher, tutor, and mentor to young women. She strived to give girls and women confidence to pursue their dreams and careers wherever they may lead. For many years, she struggled from the effects of Cushing’s disease and ultimately had her pituitary gland removed. She had requested that, upon her death, her body be given to science to further the knowledge of this rare and debilitating disease.
In Phoenix, Arizona, a memorial service and reception will be held at Christ Church Anglican at 2:00 pm on January 4, 2020.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a celebration of life will be held at Shoal Creek Club House, 8905 N. Shoal Creek Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on January 18, 2020.
In lieu of flowers and gifts, donations are requested to be made in Becky’s name to the Cushing’s Support and Research Foundation.
https://csrf.net/support-us/donate/ .